


Red Button

by Sagittae



Series: Sleepy Hollow Alternate Universe Prompts [8]
Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Death, F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-10
Updated: 2015-03-10
Packaged: 2018-03-17 05:44:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3517625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sagittae/pseuds/Sagittae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"She would be okay if she went like this. Just listening to the sound of Crane’s voice while drifting off, off…"</i>
</p><p>
  <b>[Person B knowing they’re undoubtedly about to die within the next few minutes.]</b>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red Button

**Author's Note:**

> *Hand slips* Whoops.
> 
> **[Instead of calling for help, they phone Person A and carry on a casual conversation as if nothing is wrong, making sure to mention how much they love them before their time runs out.]**

“ _You have reached the cellular device of Ichabod Crane. Please leave your name, number and message after the ‘beep’… What do I press now?”_

 _“You press the red button now, Crane.”_ She heard her voice distantly in the background.

Abbie cursed and nearly threw her phone at the wall. She was breathing heavily as blood trickled down the side of her mouth, leaving a metallic taste on her tongue. “Fuck…” Her arm dropped to her side while the other was pressed to her torso, trying to staunch the endless flow of blood that had been pouring out of her for the past minute.

She knew she shouldn’t have gone to the archives that night. But then she remembered that Ichabod had said he forgot one of the books he had been researching. He had brushed it off like it wasn’t a big deal, but if they were going to find out what their demon was, they needed the book.

Unfortunately, their new companion knew this too.

Their newest monster liked to hide in the dark, the shadows, making it the perfect assassin. And apparently Moloch had been busy training it, because the last three days she and Crane had been avoiding it like the plague, as it appeared to only be targeting _them_. It was smart, almost like it had a mind of its own. Which was a pretty good move on Moloch’s part, but a pain and the ass for her.

Especially now since it decided to sneak up behind her and stick it’s fucking hand through her chest.

Thousands of questions swarmed through her head now. What if the demon was going after Ichabod next? What if he didn’t answer because he had a hole in his chest too? _What if he was already gone?_

Her eyes were slowly drooping as her breaths became ragged and painful. Abbie allowed her head to rest on the back of the desk while the rest of her body sat against it, slouched over as red began to stain the carpet beneath her. And she was almost about to let the darkness take her before a shrill, blaring ringing filled the archives. Her eyes shifted to her phone and through her slits of her eyes, she could make out the glowing letters that spelled “ _Ichabod Crane_ ”.

Abbie pulled up her arm to slap the green button and putting the call on speaker phone, “Crane.” Her voice trembled at first, but she quickly schooled herself and spoke again, clearer, firmer, more casual. “Crane?”

“ _Apologies, Lieutenant,_ ” He answered and her heart began to ache. “ _I didn’t realize I was receiving a call. It appears I had fallen asleep.”_

She almost laughed. He had been napping, of course.

( _Thank God._ )

Of course.

“It’s cool, Crane,” she quickly contemplated telling him. Telling him that she was dying, bleeding out on the floor of the archives. But she swiftly shut the idea down. Even if she did tell him, there was no way he, or anyone else, could get to her in time. Jenny was out of town looking for an artifact to help explain how Moloch came back from the dead and Irving was with his daughter at her Science Fair in New York. She wouldn’t call them.

All Abbie wanted was to hear him. To talk to him like she always did. She didn’t want to waste this moment on trying to stop something that would happen anyway.

“ _How is your work fairing_?” She heard him ask. Such a normal conversation during such a dire moment.

Just the way she wanted it.

“It’s been hell. I’m up to my ass in paper work,” Abbie nearly choked on the blood that rose up and into her mouth. She cleared her throat and continued. “I’m ready for a vacation.”

“ _If only, Lieutenant_ ,” Ichabod replied sympathetically.

Abbie muted herself as she coughed and spit out the red fluid before going on, “I’m serious, Crane. Let’s go somewhere after we take out this baddie.”

“ _Whatever you wish, Lieutenant_ ,” she could hear him chuckle a bit. “ _Where would you have us go_?”

Her breath hitched as her eyes started to force themselves shut, but she pressed forward, “I don’t know. I was thinking about London. How would you feel about going back to England?”

(Anywhere would be fine, as long as she was with him.)

“ _I think it would be a wonderful experience. I remember that…”_ Ichabod’s voice faded to something of a dull whisper.

Her head tilted slightly as her body began to shut down. She would be okay if she went like this. Just listening to the sound of Crane’s voice while drifting off, off…

“ _Lieutenant?”_

Her eyes snapped open and the pain in her chest burned more than ever. Abbie gritted her teeth, “Hey, yeah, sorry. I was dozing off for a bit. Work’s got me beat; I think I’m going to head home now.”

 _“That seems like a good idea. It’s a rather late hour. Will you still partake in our dinner plans tonight_?” He asked and tears began to pool in her eyes.

She replied, “Yeah. I’ll be there soon.” Abbie hated lying to him, but if she told him then he would just blame himself and that’s not how she wanted their last conversation to go. That’s not what she wanted him to remember her last words to be.

“ _I shall await your company, then._ ” And she nearly lost it when he said, “ _Drive safely, Miss Mills_.”

“’Kay,” Abbie felt a droplet run down her cheek. Then, she let everything out. Her words were soft as her voice trembled and cracked. “You know I love you, right?"

From all of his stupid little hand movements to everytime he made some new twenty-first century discovery, she loved it all. She loved him so much that she would rather protect him from the pain her death would bring him, even if it was only for a few more minutes.

" _Of course. Just as I love you._ " Ichabod stated, then asked, " _What brought this up_?" 

 _The fact that I won't be able to say it later, or ever again_ , she thought. Though, the words that left her mouth were, "I'm just... Glad you're with me."

" _And I, you, Lieutenant."_

Her body stung as she laughed a bit. She didn’t have the strength to move her limbs anymore. Abbie sniffled, "Hey, Crane? Imma need you to press the red button for me.”

She heard the confusion in his tone as answered politely, “ _Very well_. _See you soon, Lieutenant,"_ then he added. " _I love you, Abbie._ "

The call ended and she glanced at the phone. _Call duration: 3:18._ She whispered to herself, “And I, you, Ichabod.” Her head dropped to her shoulder as her frame shuddered while her lungs took in their final breath.

And she smiled to herself.


End file.
